Angle, Reid and a Crowded Ballot

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has a tough road ahead in his re-election bid. But the Nevada Democrat may have one important factor in his favor: Voters who oppose him could be divided among several candidates.

The Silver State’s ballot for the general election is already looking crowded: in addition to Republican nominee Sharron Angle, it currently includes four independents, and candidates for third parties, such as the Tea Party of Nevada. Voters can also choose “none of the above” on the ballot.

In other words, Reid could win with well under 50% of the vote.

As it happens, one party on the ballot — the Independent American Party of Nevada — is a party that Angle herself once belonged to…